Passenger conveyance



Dec. 28 1926. 1,612,721

-J. HOFFAY PASSENGER CONVFYANCE Filed March 30. 1922 INVENTOR a IMM 4ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 28, 1926.

PATENT OFFICE.

' uN-lraoSTATES 1 Josnrn norm-Ar, or xnw-Yonx, n. Y.

rassrmonn ooiwnnmcn.

l Application filed larch 30, 1922. Serial Io. 547,970.

, tion are to improve-theconstruction and mode of operation ofconveyances of the above type and to, provide such a conveyance which ismore convenient in its operation both forthe ublie and the 'o rator thanthose hereto oreproduced, w ich is more economicalin'--oper'ation,.which results in saving in time at stops for the takingin and alighting of, passengers and which increases the availability ofthe passenger carrying'space.

Heretofore it has been customary. to use a single opening as both anentrance and an exit, with the result that a comparatively long time isrequiredior the alternate entrance and exit of passengers. Furthermorethe space in proximity to such 0 ening becomes crowded with passengers w0 usually refer to stand as-near the exit as possible. his results in amuch slower and less efficient operation of the conveyance and in "awaste of carrying space elsewhere in the car. In such conveyance it isnecessary for the operator'not only to supervise the ay-. ment of faresbut also to watch care ly the entrance and exit of passengersso that theconveyance will not be started until all departing passengers have leftthe conveyance and all boarding passengers have entered the same. Forthe sake of safety, the car is not started until all of the fares havebeen paid and thus a great deal of time in the aggregate is lost.

In accordance with the above objects, it is proposed to provide aconveyance having an entrance, and an exit separate from sai entrance,and certain features of the invention relate to the combination with anentrance and a separate exit of means for signaling the driver operatedfrom the exit.

The invention also contemplates the provision of a vestibule at theentrance of the conveyance and a restricted passageway through which thepassengers must pass into the main portion of 'the conveyance. Thisvestibule enables a comparatively lar 0 number of passengersto enter thecar quic l and thus enables the operator to close the oorand startthe'car much more quickly than with the ordinary construction. The exitis preferably so placed that the natural tendency of the passengers tostand near the exit will cause them to leave the space adjacent theentrance even when the car is crowded,-thus making room for additionalpassengers at the entrance. To obtain safety and further speed inoperation, the inventor contemplates the provision of a suitablesignaling device for indicatin ghen passengers are leaving and have lefte car.

Certain features of the present invention v may be employed with advantae in various vehicles .or conveyances, suc as buses which have adistinct front and rear end,

and to conveyances, such as trolley cars, 7

which may be operated either end first."

Certain features of the invention also may be advantageously applied toconveyances under the supervision of both a driver and a conductor.

the invention isnot limited to any particular kind or type of vehicle. 7

The accompanying drawings illustrating the invention in its preferredform show the invention as embodied in a conveyance of the one-mantrolley car ty e.

Fig. 1 is a plan views owing a general layout of my improved conveyancein its preferred form; 1

0 Fig. 2 is an enlarged view part1 in section showing ,my improvedsignal ing exit platform in the position it occupies when agmssenger isstanding thereon and the door 0 the conveyance has been opened and thestep swung downwardly;

ig. 3 is a somewhat similar view but showlng a passenger in the actofleaving my improved signalling step and another passenger on theplatform;

Fig. 4 is a similar view but showing the osition of the parts after thepassenger as left the step;

Fig. 5 is a view showin the position of the platform and step wien thedoor is closed and no assenger is on the latform;

Fig. 6 is a etail of a contact evice for the step;

Fig. 7 is a detail showing the circuits;

It is therefore to be understood that except as defined in the claimstition 4 may befixed and'not slidable and Fig. 8 is a sectional viewshowing the platform contact devices more in detail; and

Fig. 9 is for a conveyance of somewhat modified corn struction from thatshown in Fig. '1. i

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates one side of the conveyance, and.2 the opposite side thereof. Near one end I provide a par- 'tition 3extending from the side 1 toward the center of the convenience butterminating short of the opposite side 2. Inthe construction shown inFig. 1 a sliding portion 4 is provided which is moved to thepositionshown at the right in Fig. 1 when'the conveyance is movingtoward the right but which may be occupying the position shown at-therear of Fig. 1 when the conveyance is moving in the opposite direction.If, however, the conveyance is one which always moves withthe. same endforward, the parthe partition .3 would not be required at the other end.This partition4 extends substantially parallel to the side of theconveyance and forms a restricted passageway at the "right of which isshown the farebox 5, and

an entrance 'oor 6,*which isshown of the usual folding varietyand whichmay be controlled the driver together with the step 24 by devicesusually provided for this purpose, which -serve to permit access to theconveyancethrough the vestibule formed by the partitions. 3 and 4. Thisvestibule is of substantial capacity so that a number of passengers mayenter and the door 6 be, closed and the fare thereafterpaid, without causing undue crowding,j,the passengers then 1 passing through therestricted passageway intoj'the central portion ofthe conveyance. Intheleft endof theconveyance which, as shown, formsthe rear end thereof, thespace is 'div-ided somewhat differently by reason of the partition 4beingmoved over to contact with the rear end of the conveyance, and in aone-ended conveyance this partition would be fixed and the partition 3might be eliminated. However, in a. conveyance adapted to go either endfirst, the partition 4 is preferably slidable, so that it may occupy theposition shown in Fig.1 at

,the left when the left is the rear end of the conveyance but is --movedto the position shownas occupied by the right hand member 4 when theconveyance isgoing in the other direction. The left portion of the conveance is likewise provided with a door 6 1n the case of a dou le-endedconveyance.

In order to prevent crowding at the en trance due particularly to thetendency of passengers to stand near the exit of the car, it is proposedto provide a conveyance construction comprising an exit separate fromthe entrance and preferably; located at a point in the conveyance somedistance from the portion 25' moving under" the 'the entrance. In thepresent embodiment of the invention, the conveyance is provided withadoor 'at the rear through whichpasa diagrammatic view of a Iayoutsengers may leave the same. In the drawing'sf the conveyance is shown asprovided \vitlra'rear door 8 which is controlled by the driver ormotorman inthe usual man-' ner, said door being connected as usual witha pivotally movable step so that as the door swings-open the step isswung from closed to open position.

. A feature of my improved construction is the provision of a platform 9preferably countersunk into a recessin the flooring and located adjacentthe exit, which platform has a slight vertical movement with respect tothe recess of thefioor 10 of the conveyance, as shown in Fig, 8. Theplatform 9 has secured to it a plunger 11 havinga downwardlyprojectingportion 12 screw-threaded to receive adjusting and lockingnuts 13.

Adjusting and locking washers 14 engage the inner screw-threaded portionof a socket member 15 suitably secured by screws 16 to the floor of theconveyance. A spring 16 is interposed between a flange-like portion- 17of the plunger 11 and the upper washer 14 and normally tends to elevatethe platform. Screwed into; the lower end of the plunger and insulatedis a contact point 18,

which when the plunger is depressed by the weight of a passengerstanding on the platform, engages the insulated contact device 19.130close an electric circuit having conducting wires 20 and 21 which leadto a signal 1 device 22 conveniently situated at the end of the.conveyance for observation by the driver ormotorman. A battery 23supplies the current, the circuit connections being showndiagrammatically in Fig. 7. It is,

of course, understood that the usual signal buttons may be providedadjacent the seats,- -so that the driver or motor-man may be signaled'at any time to indicate that a passenger desires to leave theconveyance.

-Leading from the platform is a step formed of two members 24 and 25rigidly connected together and pivoted on a rod 26.

There is provided a gravity latch 27 supported by lugs 28 depending fromthe underside of the platform and occupying a recess in the floor of thecar, which gravity latch is adapted to cooperate with the portion 25 ofthe step under conditions which will now be ex lained.

When the exit door has been opened and apassenger is standingron theplatform, the parts assume the position shown in Fig- 2, latch 27,butnot' dropping off therefrom being held ;in the position shown by aspring 28*secured toa bracket 29 and bearing against anarm -30, which isalso rigidwith theistep members. When the passenger steps on the p0r-15101124, the parts assume the position shown in Fig. 3 in case anotherpassenger has at that time moved onto the platform 8. The weight of thepassenger on the step 24 holds the same in its lowermost position andcomresses the spring 28 and moves an insul ated contact device 31 intoengagement with a second contact device 32 which, as shown in Fig. 7 islikewise connected so that it will actuate the signal, thus maintainingsaid signal in operative condition. At this time, of course, the contactis also closed at the platform. The contacts 31 and 32,how-

even-provide that the signal shall be maintained in operative conditionuntil the passenger has left the step, and, if no passenger is on theplatform 9 at that time, the signal will be extinguished and the driverwill then close the door and proceed. If, however, another passenger ison the platform ready to alight, the latch 2'7is moved downwardly andinterposes its end in the path of movement of the member 25 of the stepso that after one passenger has left the step, the parts are in theposition shown in Fig. 4, the spring 28? having broken the contacts 31,

32. but the weight of the other passenger still maintaining the contact18l9 at the platform; the signal is thus maintained'in operativecondition and furthermore the latch prevents the step from being swungto closed position and since the door is connected to the step itlikewise prevents closing of the door. The conveyance is preferablyprovided with mechanism for controlling the throwing on of the power,which mechanism is controlled bythe door 80 that when the door is openthe power cannot be thrown on by theoperator of the car and that whenthe door is closed said mechanism is placed in condition to permit thethrowing on of the power. As soon as all of the passengers desiring toalight have done so and the door is closed, the parts assume theposition shown in Fig. 5. In Fig. 9 I have shown a somewhat modifiedformof car layout which is more particularly adapted to modifications ofcars or conveyances ,at present in use. In the case of newconstructions, however. I prefer to use'the form shown in Fig. 1, which,of course, may be modified to suit the particular conditions.

Figure 9 illustrates a modified form of the invention in which certainfeatures of the invention are embodied in a conveyance adapted to travelalways with the right hand end forward. In this form of the invention avestibule and a restricted passageway are formed by a fixed partition 3preferably made of piping or similar material.

. Having explained the nature and object of the invention and havingspecifically described a conveyance embodying the inven tion in itspreferred form, what is claimed is:

1. A passenger conveyance of the one-man type having partitions runningfrom each side of the conveyance toward the center and toward each endthereof and forming a vestibule of substantial. size at each end of theconveyance. said partitions also forming with the opposite sides of theconveyance restricted passageways through which passengers areconstrained to pass to reach the main portion of the conveyance, and anentrance door to each vestibule.

.2. A passenger conveyance of the one-man type having partitions runningfrom each side of the conveyance toward the center and toward each endthereof and forming a vestibule of substantial size at each end of theconveyance, said partitions also forming withv the opposite sides of theconveyance restricted passageways through which passengers areconstrained to pass to reach the main portion of the conveyance, anentrance door to each vestibule, and an exit door at either end of theconveyance communicating with the mainportion thereof.

3. A passenger conveyance having an exit, a door for closing said exit,a platform within the conveyance and adjacent said exit, a step normallyinraised position when the door is closed but adapted to swing toposition to allow exit from the conveyance as the door is opened, andmeans operated by the weight of a passenger on said platform to preventswinging of said step to normally raised position.

4. In a conveyance having an exit, a door for closing said exit, anormally raised platform adjacent said door, and means controlled bysaid platform for preventing closing of said door when said platform isdisplaced by the weight of a passenger.

5. In a conveyance having an exit, a door for closing said exit, anormally raised platform adjacent said door, and means for preventingclosing of said door when said platform is displaced by the weight of apassenger.

'6. A one-man-operated passenger conveyance having an exit, a platformadjacent said exit, a step serving to permit exit from the platform, alatch moved to operative position by a passenger standing on theplatform, said latch preventing return of the step to normal positionwhile the passenger occupies the platform.

7. In a conveyance having an exit, a door for closing said exit, anormally raised platform adjacent said door, and means for preventingclosing of said door and which means is set to operate when saidplatform is displaced by the weight of a passenger.

8. In a conveyance having an exit, a door for closing said exit, aplatform adjacent said door and substantially at a level with the nearbyfloor of the conveyance, and automatic means for preventing closing ofsaid door operative when a passenger treads on said platform.

9. in a conveyance having an exit, a door for closing said exit, aplatform adjacent said door and substantially at a level With the nearbyfloor of the conveyance, and means for preventing closing of said dooroperative When a passenger treads on said platform.

10. In a conveyance having an exit, a door for closing said exit,treading means Within the conveyance and adjacent said door, and meansfor preventing closing of said door while a passenger stands on saidtreading means.

11. In a conveyance having an exit, a door for closing said exit,treading means Within the conveyance and adjacent said exit, and

iami automatic means for preventing closing of said door while apassenger stands on said treading means.

12. In a conveyance having an exit, a door for closing said exit,treading means Within the conveyance and adjacent said exit, a stepnormally in raised position When the door is closed but adapted to swingto position to allow exit from the conveyance as the door is opened, andmeans for preventing swinging of said step to normally raised positionwhen a passenger stands on said treading means.

Signed at New York city, N. Y., this 25th day of March, 1922.

JOSEPH HOFFAY.

